As concern about security rises, so too does the prevalence of lock use. While locks can help deter theft and vandalism, it is important to reduce the inconvenience of using locks to the greatest extent possible, so that the locks will be consistently used.
Many types of containers, including cabinets, boxes, and tool chests have movable closures (e.g. lids and doors). For added security, locking systems are used to prevent unauthorized opening of these containers. One important application of locks has been in their use in pickup truck bed boxes, which are placed between the sidewalls of the pickup""s bed adjacent to the cab. Locking bed boxes have been around for many years, and comprise a container with at least one cover. Older designs used two covers accessible from right and left sides of the truck. In these older pickup truck bed boxes designs, separate key locks controlled access to the left and right sides of the box and there did not need to be any connection between the two. More recent designs for pickup truck bed boxes include a single cover which is hinged to the rear of the single box. Key locks are located either on the left and right side walls of the box (e.g. push button locks) or on the left and right front sides of the box (e.g. paddle locks), and these key locks operate at least one and more often two latches that are mounted inside the box. Push button locks are ideal because they can be easily accessed by a user standing at a left or right side of the truck, or standing in the back of the truck. These key locks are connected to the latches in such a manner that a user can open the cover from the left or right side of the box that has been unlocked. The latches are used to secure the lid to the box when the lid is closed. Rotary style latches, bayonet style latches and other types of latches can be used, with rotary style latches typically providing better tamper resistance than bayonet style latches. In order to be able to open pairs of existing rotary style and bayonet style latches by opening either a single push button lock or a single paddle lock, linking structures and mechanism must be provided. These linking structures and mechanism can comprise multiple activation rods and direction reversing mechanisms, all of which add to the parts and assembly costs.
There accordingly remains a need for push button locks that can be used in locking systems for containers that provide for maximized security yet has lower parts and assembly costs regardless of the precise storage container and closure the locking system is applied to.
The invention provides a push button lock that has a plunger which will retract into a main housing of the push button lock when the lock is in the locked position and also unlocked so long as the push button is not depressed.
The push button lock has several parts. A main housing with an aperture formed therethrough is provided. A plunger is axially moveable in the aperture of the main housing. A ball retainer is positioned in the main housing aperture and has a central aperture formed therein through which the plunger extends, and has a protrusion formed on the ball retainer. A plunger spring for biasing the plunger away from the ball retainer is provided, and at least one ball is placed on the ball retainer. An actuator is located in the main housing aperture above the ball retainer and is rotatable to retain the ball against the plunger shaft and prevent the plunger shaft from moving relative to the ball retainer when in an opened position, and in a locked position, wherein the moveable stopper is not retained against the plunger shaft and the plunger shaft can move relative to the ball retainer. The push button lock button has a lock housing and a lock cylinder, with the lock cylinder being adapted to turn the actuator from the opened position to the locked position. A ball retainer spring for biasing the moveable stopper retainer towards the lock button is provided and an actuator spring for biasing the actuator away from the moveable stopper retainer is also provided so that unless lock button is depressed in the unlocked or locked position, the plunger will be capable of being pushed into the main housing.